Episode 302 - Prayer as Our Armor

Perhaps an overlooked piece of armor for Christians - prayer. Ephesians 6:16-24

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Which is twenty-four.

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Alright. So I'm gonna I'm gonna go ahead and Oh now? Uh uh yeah, I'm going ahead and get us started. All right. And welcome to another episode of Two Brothers One Bible Podcast from New Song Baptist Church in Columbia, Tennessee. We are so thankful that you are listening today, and we want you to tell all your friends that you listen to the podcast today. And how can they do that, Peter? I don't know, Robert. Well, they can just tell them. They could just say, hey, friend, send them an email. They can send an email. Send a text. They could do all of those things. Put it on Facebook. All of these things would work. Instagram. Instagram. Yes. All kinds of medias. Okay. Okay, so that's how they could do that.

SPEAKER_00 0:45

So swipe right on two brothers, one Bible copy.

unknown 0:49

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

Do that. Listen to this. Did you even do that? I have no idea. I don't even. I don't know if you can do that or not. But uh, I'm Robert Wakefield. Oh.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

I'm Peterson.

SPEAKER_01 1:00

Yes, you are. And we are so glad that you are here for maybe the final countdown. The countdown, maybe? Yeah. Maybe it's the final countdown of Ephesians chapter six. And uh so let's read that starting in verse 16.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

I would do it. Let's go first. Okay. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, and pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Pray also for me that whenever I speak, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ticias, our dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. Peace to the brothers and sisters and love with faith from God, the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

All right, so that is the word of the Lord. And so I I like the way he starts verse 16 because he's told we've just talked about, you know, putting on the complete armor of God. Right. And then he says, And in addition to this, yeah, so you've got this armor on. So that's protecting you. Right. And so now he's saying in addition to this, take up the shield of faith. And so these are the the things he's talking about now is not personal protection. These are like offensive weapons in a lot of ways.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

Could be. I mean, they could use that shield that way. But it's also a second layer of defense. Okay. The shield was rather large. We kind of think about the the round circle kind of thing, but this was actually four feet long and it's two and a half feet wide. How much do they weigh, do you know? Uh they they weighed probably about 40 pounds, 40, 50 pounds. They were there were wood, and then they were uh leather was around that, and they'd have to treat that leather often. Sometimes I'd even soak that leather.

SPEAKER_02 3:25

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 3:26

So that when they were going against these flaming arrows, when the arrows hit, they would extinguish themselves. How about that?

SPEAKER_01 3:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:32

Yeah. So they would also take these shields and they would lock them together to form a barrier. Oh, okay. And so the shield was very important. Sure. And so when he talks about this shield, he said, This is your faith. It it's it's what's you know, it it protects you. It's what makes you advance. Yeah, you've got to have that that faith.

SPEAKER_01 3:54

And you know, I like the way he makes the shield of faith because that is what's seen. Yes. The the the when you're coming up against an army, you see those shields.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

Sure. It'd be like a soldier today taking care of your weapon. Right. You know, which you have to you clean and you repair, and so you make sure it's ready. That for them was the shield.

SPEAKER_01 4:14

How about that? Well, the shield of faith, I think, is a very important part that we don't talk a lot about, and we really should. Right. Because of the way it is. Uh but the next part that he talks about to extinguish the flaming out arrows of the evil one. Right. Now, these flaming arrows, according to this guy, could be these. Are you ready? Okay. He gave us a list.

SPEAKER_00 4:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

He said flaming arrows could include lies, accusations, fears, temptations, discouragement, and shame. Okay. I like those. And so yeah, so that's a list of things that really can invade us easily. Yeah. We can let any of those affect us, especially the temptations and discouragement and shame.

SPEAKER_00 5:02

See, that goes back to putting on the armor. Exactly. Because you never know when one of these zingers that you talked about is going to be launched at you. Right. And and so those kind of things, you know, the the shame or, you know, a little innuendo or remark, man, sometimes that just just penetrates deep.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:22

And so these fiery arrows, Satan is always throwing them at us. And so uh the reason I think he put shield and faith together, and then he had connected these flaming arrows is faith is not an emotion. Oh, good point. It's a decision. And so what happens is when that list of flaming arrows that you just read, we tend to react emotionally with those. We certainly do. It hurt my feelings. Right. Or or that makes me mad, or I'm upset. And so what Paul is saying is if you've got that shield of faith protecting you, you're not going to act emotionally.

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Right. Yeah, that's a good point because you're right. Every one of these can be emotional. If you're lied about, yeah, or or if you're accused of something that you didn't do, or or you've got this fear of something that's coming up in your life, of a surgery or or something like that. Uh if you fight against the temptations that that he hurls at us, and you find yourself discouraged, uh and and then all of that come compounds with the f shame that comes. You need a shield of faith. Yes. You need something to to offend you to defend yourself against those emotions. Exactly. I like the way you put that. Okay. Well, thank you. I haven't thought of that.

SPEAKER_00 6:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 6:39

And that's that's important.

SPEAKER_00 6:40

All right. Well, when you need it, you just pay back this episode.

SPEAKER_01 6:44

Okay. Yeah. 302, I think is what I'll do that. All right. So the set uh 17 talks about at the very front, uh, first part, it says, take the helmet of salvation. I want to talk about that first. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

I I wish you would.

SPEAKER_01 6:58

Okay. So the helmet it protects the mind.

SPEAKER_00 7:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Now we hear a lot about the heart, but the mind is kind of the thing that responds to things from the heart. Does that make any sense? It does.

SPEAKER_00 7:14

It processes.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

It processes, yeah. And so this this whole take the helmet of salvation, you know, when you think of salvation, I think of rescue. And and it's gonna it can rescue you from you know these terrible things that can happen to you. So I think the helmet of salvation is really a huge thing in this armor of God. So I wanted you, I wanted your thoughts on that.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

Well, I think because another place where Satan attacks us is to discredit our our faith or say you weren't saved. Okay. And so the knowledge of our salvation is something we have to keep in the forefront of our brain. Right. So, one, it's a reminder of who we are and what's been accomplished in our life. Okay. And so Satan's gonna say, when he's throwing these arrows, you know, like the arrow of shame and the the arrow of accusation and you know, these lies, it it just shakes our confidence. Right. And sometimes it shakes us to the core. And so, but if we wear that helmet of salvation, I am a child of God. Amen. I have been paid for with a price. You know, I am firmly planted in the in the palm of God, and nothing can pluck me out. So good.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

I love that.

SPEAKER_00 8:28

I mean, that's the helmet of salvation speaking right there.

SPEAKER_01 8:31

It's you know, a football player wears a helmet because if he doesn't, he's one hit away from disaster. There you go. And a believer without a helmet uh is one lie away from being well said, you know, collapsed or whatever. So the second part of 17 talks about the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Now we've heard this a lot. Yeah. The sword of the spirit. And, you know, it's so important that you're in the sword of the spirit on a daily basis. Uh, because I really think that makes a difference in our walk with Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Yeah, the other thing about this sword is it's not a long sword, it's not like Excalibur, it's not one of those. It's it's more like a dagger. Okay. And it's and it's a double-edged sword. Again, you talked earlier about how most of their their fighting was was hand to hand. And so this is a close quarter thing. Okay. And this is this is probably the only real I mean it's an offensive weapon where the shield could be either or.

SPEAKER_01 9:32

Right. This is definitely on the offense. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It could go on the offense and the defense. It could. Yeah. Yeah. Swords, because I have many swords. Do you? Oh. Wow. No, but it sounded good, didn't it? I was impressed. Oh, thank you. Yeah, but that's exactly right. It can be offensive or defensive. And and I think that when you've got the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, you can teach others and you can also defend the faith at the same time. And so I think that sword is really important. Um, so uh then we get into uh is there anything else in 17 you wanted to touch? No. Okay. So in 18 it talks about and pray in the spirit of all occasions. So praying in the spirit. Talk about that for a second.

SPEAKER_00 10:19

Well, I don't think Paul is changing gears. I don't think so either. No, I think he's you know he's giving us one more weapon. I I really think the greatest weapon we have um is is prayer.

SPEAKER_01 10:34

And we don't think of it as the uh you know, when we're going through this list here, we think of the helmet, we think of the uh the sword, we think of all these other things, but we don't think about the the praying part.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

Right.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

And praying in the spirit.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

No, we think he ended in 17 on this whole armor. Right. But I think he's even saying, okay, now that you've got all this stuff on, now you gotta seal the deal with prayer. You know, and he says on all occasions, it's not some occasions, it's all occasions. All occasions with all kinds of prayers. So he's got two alls in there, and you think, well, what kinds of prayers are there? Well, there's all types of prayers. Right. I mean, there's your private prayer, there's your family prayers, there's social prayers, there's there's prayers of worship, there's there's prayers of intercession, there's prayers of supplication, there's prayers of thanksgiving. I mean, there's a bunch of kinds of prayers.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

Sure. And so he's saying, and all kinds of prayers, uh, pray in the spirit.

SPEAKER_00 11:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:30

On all these occasions. Yeah. This guy wrote this uh prayer is not another piece of armor, it is the environment in which the armor works. Oh, that's good. I thought that was really good. That's very good. He goes on to say, uh, Paul says this he says, pray always, uh, pray in the spirit, pray with alertness. Okay, uh, pray with perseverance, and pray for all of God's people.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

So you're right, there are tons of ways, different kinds of prayers that that we do uh on a daily basis. We pray for our our thanking God for our food every meal. Um so yeah, so uh all occasions we're to do this in the spirit. Yep. Which which means what? When we pray in the spirit, what does that mean to you?

SPEAKER_00 12:12

Well, it means we're not praying in the flesh. Right. You know, the flesh is gonna say, Oh, I'd really like a new puppy. You know? It's it's very superficial and it's very about me. When we're praying in the spirit, we're asking God, give me the heart of God, give me the mind of God. As Jesus said in the model prayer, may things be on earth as they are in heaven. So show me what you want me to do today. Show me what I how I can be obedient to what you have. And what are my marching orders for the day?

SPEAKER_01 12:46

For the day. And the model prayer is an excellent example that you showed out. I'll show this then. Because I mean, you know, it's just so important that prayer is is uh a most uh a very important part of our lives. And and to be honest with you, I struggle with that. Sure, we all do. I struggle with uh praying in the spirit, uh or I'll get to the my prayer later, and I never do. Right. And and I get to thinking, you know, why am I not using this as one of the weapons or one of the things that God gave me in the environment that I'm in? Right. Why am I not using this to my advantage? Uh I I really think that aren't you gonna do a a prayer um a series on prayer? Or have you already done that? I've already done that. You've already done that, yeah. Yeah, okay. Well, you should do it again. Okay, all right. It's just so good. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:38

All of our my sermons are on Facebook and YouTube.

SPEAKER_01 13:41

Oh, that's right. Yeah, yeah. Oh, and you can go there and get that. Yeah. So in verse 19. Well, wait. Oh.

SPEAKER_00 13:47

So I I I to me the the second half of 18 reiterates that he's still talking about the armor of God. So he says, with this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying.

SPEAKER_02 13:57

Right.

SPEAKER_00 13:57

So when he says be alert, if if we're going to use this soldier analogy, what so now you got this soldier all dressed up. What what do you need? You need to be focused, you need to be paying attention. You know, if if he's got guard duty, you want him to be the guard. Yeah.

unknown 14:17

Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:17

You know, if he's a night watchman, you want him. If he's in a trench or if he's on the battlefront, you need him paying attention.

SPEAKER_01 14:25

Right.

SPEAKER_00 14:26

That's why I still think he's talking about this full armor. I think so many times we're wounded in in battles because we're not paying attention.

SPEAKER_01 14:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

And so he's saying, and and so how does he tell us to to have this in our mind? How are we supposed to be alert? Again, it's by being in the arena of prayer.

SPEAKER_01 14:47

Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 14:48

As we're seeing people, you know, and we're interceding for them, we're thinking about spiritual things. Right. We're praying God's best for them. Right. And so that helps us to be focused.

SPEAKER_01 15:01

That's uh that's a great point when it could that he's still talking about um you know being a s a a soldier or having all the armor on. If you've got all this armor on and you're asleep, what good is it gonna do you? Nothing. Nothing. No. So it's just important that, like you said, yeah. Uh if you're gonna put on this armor, always be alert and keep on praying for all the Lord's people.

SPEAKER_00 15:23

And then in 19, I think he he takes everything he said and he's made it personal. So he's saying, as as you're praying for the Lord's people, this is how I want you to pray for me.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

Right. And and you know, I know you've had people tell you this, I've had people tell tell me this too, and it's such a great thing. I prayed for you today. Yeah. And when you hear someone say that, and you know, or I I've been I know what situation you're going, I'm praying for you. They're taking your name and laying it down in front of the Father, like we talked about, walking right in and like we talked about in our Hebrew series, Access to the Father, and laying your name there and talking to the creator of the universe. Yeah. And there is Peter Searson's name there. What a great, great thing. And that's what Paul's talking about here. Yeah when you're talking to when you're praying, remember me also.

SPEAKER_00 16:22

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

And and when he had to be, you know, he talked about, and I think it's a Colossians. No, who knows Philippians. Uh I I I receive your prayers and how how they encourage me. Yeah. And and so it's just a great thing for us to do is pray for others.

SPEAKER_00 16:39

Yeah, you know, when he does verses 19 and 20, for him, he's talking about all these things. It'd be a misstep in my mind if I didn't covet your prayers. Right. Because he he feels this spiritual attack, even though he's he's in house arrest, he feels, you know, he's getting these fire arrows, he's he's he's got doubt, he's got fears, he doesn't know. And so he's saying, Look, I I want you to pray that when I'm have a chance to speak, I speak well. That when I encounter situations, I'm not comfortable, that I I'd be fearless and not bold, right? That I would present the gospel as many times as I can, that I remind myself I'm an ambassador. I I'm from a different country. I am from the country of heaven, heaven. Right. And I'm represented here on this foreign soil, and I want to do my best to represent the king of kings.

SPEAKER_01 17:31

And and when he says he's an ambassador in chains, you know, again he talks about I am a slave to Christ. Yes. Yeah, and I just love that. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should. And then our final greetings uh I I don't know who this fellow is.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

Oh, Tickyus, he was a great guy. Was he? Yeah, in fact, he's mentioned five times the New Testament. Well, I knew it was more than once. All in Paul's letters. Okay. Uh he he lived in the uh the Asia Minor area, uh, probably went to church in Ephesus. So uh and so uh he went on to do some great things in the church if you look at early history, but uh he was someone that uh Paul really leaned on.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

Right. And so he goes off and he tells these Ephesians that you know he's gonna tell you everything so that you'll know how I am and what I'm doing. And and he goes in verse 22 I'm sending him to you for this very purpose that you may know how we are and that he may be that he may encourage you.

SPEAKER_00 18:28

You know, in verses 23 and 24, he wraps up, he starts uh in in Ephesians 1, uh chapter 2, talking about grace and peace. He ends with talking about peace and grace. Right. Uh but he mentions four great things peace, love, faith, and grace. And and then when he ends it, he says, you know, our our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Oh, yeah. I looked up that word undying, and it also means incorruptible.

SPEAKER_01 18:57

Oh, you can't beat that.

SPEAKER_00 18:58

You know, don't you love that? That the love of Christ, yeah, nothing can pollute it, nothing can change it, nothing can water it down. It is everything we need.

SPEAKER_01 19:08

How about that? That is just really what what a great, great letter this was to the Ephesians, and what a great study this has been. Oh, absolutely. I I've just thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed going through Ephesians, and and I just, you know, there's just so much that we just covered so much ground.

SPEAKER_02 19:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

Uh we we've talked about everything. We talked about relationships and uh the the armor of God. That's what we talked about in these last few episodes. The list goes on and on. Yeah. And so what was your favorite part of Ephesians?

SPEAKER_00 19:40

Really? I can't have a favorite part. No, I mean, because he talked about our sinfulness, he talked about the unity we should have in the church. He just he really covered it. To me, I I keep saying, I think in the introduction we talked about how these six chapters are really just a condensed package of the whole gospel message. So it's you had the first three chapters telling us what we have obtained in Christ, where we were, who we are now, and then the last three chapters are the very practical way of living our faith.

SPEAKER_01 20:13

Just great stuff, just great stuff. Well, we hope that you've enjoyed a Two Brothers in One Bible Podcast and this study in Ephesians. Where are we gonna go next, Peter? I heard Colossians. Colossians, I think, is what we're gonna do next. So that'll be great. Thank you so much for listening to Two Brothers One Bible Podcast. I'm Robert Wakefield. I'm Peter Stearson, and join us in our next episodes when we talk about Colossians. All right, all right. Thanks so much for listening, and God bless.